Poultry News

Canadian government announces new working group for poultry, egg sectors

02 November 2018

CANADA - 2 November 2018: Canadian farmers and food businesses are vital to the country's prosperity, creation of good jobs, growth of the middle class, support for rural communities and high-quality products being brought to Canadian consumers' tables

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay announced a new working group comprised of poultry and egg farmers and processors.

While informal engagement has already begun with the poultry and egg sector, the working group brings together officials from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), representatives from national poultry and egg organisations and associations as well as regional representatives.

The working group will collaborate to develop strategies to fully and fairly support farmers and processors to help them adjust to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It will also discuss support to reflect the impact of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

In addition to discussing impacts of the trade agreements in the short term, the working group will also chart a path forward to help the poultry and egg sectors innovate and remain an important source of jobs and economic growth for future generations. Supporting expertise to the working group may also include academic leaders, as well as industry and financial experts, as necessary.

The federal government will engage with provincial and territorial governments on an ongoing basis throughout the collaboration process.

Mr MacAulay said, "This working group will ensure the voices of the hardworking men and women who are building and growing our farm businesses are heard and reflected, as we develop a path forward to ensure our poultry and egg sectors remain strong and competitive well into the future. Together, we will make sure our industries are well-positioned to thrive."

The USMCA preserves tariff-free market access within North America for agricultural trade valued at $119 billion, and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that rely on that access, and through USMCA negotiations, the Government of Canada worked extremely hard to advance the interests of Canadian farmers and food businesses, including defending and preserving the supply-managed sector from strong US attempts to dismantle it.